When he was alive, the RSS always had an ambivalent attitude towards Pramod Mahajan, and though his tragic death has invoked fulsome tributes in the Organiser, some of that ambivalence creeps through. In a front-page obituary, editor R. Balashankar writes: ‘‘Like Rajiv Gandhi in the mid-1980s in the Congress, Pramod Mahajan redefined BJP’s politics and priorities. He brought in a new era in the party. He was the whiz kid of the BJP. He had perfectly networked his political progress and his influence, power and reach made even the party veterans hugely dependent on him. He changed the contour and substance of the party. The speed was frightening. Many could not agree. But his lustrous, magnetic pull silenced all opposition.’’ There are a number of other reports on Mahajan’s demise, including a condolence message from RSS supremo K.S. Sudarshan, who writes: ‘‘It pains our heart even more when we realise that his nemesis was none else but his own brother whom he nurtured like his own son.Who knows this enmity belonged to which birth!’’ If Sudarshan attributes the fratricide to karma carried over from previous births, columnist Sandhya Jain prefers the conspiracy angle: ‘‘While we do not know the real motives or conspirators behind the attack on Mr Mahajan, it seems unlikely to be as simple as suggested. BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra has hinted as much by comparing his departure with that of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Deen Dayal Upadhyay, who too were struck down in the prime of their political lives.’’ It is unclear, however, whether the allusion is to anti-BJP forces or to enemies within. The new hawk Varun Gandhi, whose columns in the Organiser relentlessly advocate a hard line on national security issues, turns his hawkish eyes to Kashmir this time. Accusing India of being soft on Kashmiri militancy and separatism, he says the UPA government must stop talking to the Hurriyat Conference (‘‘a bunch of wily non-representatives’’ who are ‘‘completely anti-India’’); must abrogate Article 370 (‘‘the single greatest obstacle towards the economic development of the state’’); must make Kashmir ‘‘ethnically diverse’’ by settling non-Kashmiris in the state (China’s Tibet policy is cited approvingly); and give the army ‘‘more space in regulating civilian life’’ (follow K.P.S Gill methods in dealing with terrorism in Punjab.) ‘‘India must change her perspective on Kashmir from an accomodating one to a pragmatic one.Our perspective must be centered strongly on whay 100 crore patriotic Indians want, and not on what a tiny section among 40 lakh Kashmiri residents, or Pakistan wants,’’ insists Jawaharlal Nehru’s not-quite-Nehruvian great-grandson. UPA’s family matters Organiser’s foreign affairs expert M.D. Nalapat continues his tirade against the government’s alleged anti-national policies. ‘‘Today’s UPA government —under the orders of Sonia Gandhi and her chosen instrument Manmohan Singh —functions as a tributary of Washington,’’ he writes. But his is no Left-inspired anti-imperialist crtique but a vicious, personal attack on the families of not just Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh but also senior government officials. According to him, ‘‘both of foreign secretary Shyam Saran’s offspring are in the US, while one of Montek Singh Ahluwalia’s is, the other being in London. Naturally, while one of the daughters of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh jet sets, the other is based in — where else? — the US.’’ And though Sonia Gandhi talks about her family (meaning the Nehrus), ‘‘the fact is that relatives from Rajiv’s side of the family tree are almost never seen in 10 Janpath, much less staying there as guests the way those from her side of the fence do.’’ All this by way of an analysis on India’s foreign policy! Hail Moditva Another Organiser columnist, Shyam Khosla, lashes out against the UPA government and other secular organisations for criticising the demolition of a Sufi dargah in Vadodara that triggered off the recent communal violence. Blaming the Muslims for not agreeing to a ‘‘relocation’’ of the dargah, Khosla says, ‘‘The ‘secularists’ have a passion to denounce Narendra Modi for every conceivable or inconceivable reason.’’ By doing so, he warns, they are ‘‘digging their own graves’’, generating a ‘‘Hindu backlash’’ and ensuring the emergence of Modi ‘‘an an idol of Gujarati and Hindu pride.’’ Compiled by Manini Chatterjeemanini.chatterjee@expressindia.com
